Stuart Holden returns to Bolton

United States international Stuart Holden has returned to English club Bolton on a non-contract basis.

The 28-year-old midfielder, who has been sidelined by a third serious knee injury for the past year, has spent the last four-and-a-half seasons at the Reebok Stadium.

The former Houston Dynamo player has been in his native America as a pundit for ESPN during the World Cup but will be back at Bolton to resume his fitness work.

Holden will be allowed to play in friendly, reserve under-21 games without being under contract, but would have to sign a deal with the Championship club to appear in competitive fixtures.

Stuart Holden will continue his rehabilitation work with Bolton.

He was named Bolton's Player of the Year for the 2010-11 season, when they reached the FA Cup semifinals, but he has only made five appearances for the club since March 2011, when he was injured in a challenge by Manchester United's Jonny Evans.

Holden has won 25 caps for his country and last appeared in the 2013 Gold Cup, but he suffered an ACL injury in the final against Panama and has not returned to first-team football since then.

Bolton also signed former Crystal Palace left-back Dean Moxey this week.